I design public interest software and sometimes write about it. You can read my blog, send me email, or follow me on Mastodon.
Most of what I do these days is part of GNOME, an operating system stack that is ethical, accessible to everyone, and built in the commons. All of this work is collaborative, but these are some recent initiatives I’ve been a driving force for.
GNOME 40 — A major refresh to the operating system interface. It includes a cleaner spatial model, more approachable workspaces, and smooth touchpad gestures.
Release AnnouncementAdwaita — The design system for GNOME apps, implemented by the Libadwaita library, allows people to easily build delightful native apps that work on desktop, phones, and everything in between.
Design SystemApp Icons — A platform app icon style optimized for easy adoption by third party apps. We also made design tools to support the new workflow.
LGM 2020 Talk Icon Design TutorialIn addition to my work on the GNOME core system and apps, I've also designed a number of third party apps.
Contrast — A fun little app to check if the colors in your designs have enough contrast. Designed by me, and developed by Bilal Elmoussaoui.
Get the AppFragments — Finally, a torrent client that isn't a bloated mess. Designed by me, and developed by Felix Häcker.
Get the AppI occasionally write articles and speak at conferences, usually about design, public interest technology, or some combination of the two. These are some of my favorites from the last few years.
Post-Collapse Computing — What does the climate crisis mean for free software?
Part 1 on my BlogHow to be Upstream-First — On why developing software upstream is more efficient, produces better results, and makes for a healthier ecosystem. This article explains the approach and lays out how to do it in practice using our experience with GNOME Mobile as an example.
Purism BlogThere is no “Linux” Platform — On the state of the “Linux” app ecosystem and why vertical integration is the only way forward.
Article on my BlogSemantic Animation — A holistic approach to designing animated interfaces. I've co-written an article on A List Apart and given talks about it at conferences and meetups.
Article on A List Apart FOSDEM 2018 TalkDesign-Driven Free Software — My SFSCon 2017 talk on why Free (as in freedom) software needs to embrace design, why that’s hard to pull off, and how we can get there.
Though my focus is interaction design I also do branding, web development, and illustration from time to time.
Nostalgia — A little app I built to make it easy to use Jakub Steiner’s awesome dynamic default wallpapers from past GNOME releases.
Get the AppBrand for systemd — Like it or not, everything kind of needs to have a logo these days, even low-level Linux infrastrucure projects.
Brand GuidelinesDynasty — A tool for generating visualizations of succession timelines, e.g. all the roman emperors (PDF).
Project WebsiteImpossible Cities — A collaborative short story and illustration project, inspired by Calvino’s Invisible Cities.
Project Website